"But the consuls did not dare to put the motion without the knowledge of the senate's leader (the emperor); they however recorded the general feeling of the senate—being that authority for the decision should be made, while few even were against the feeling, from certain ones clamoring that as a consequence [eo] of a lack of respect having broken out, born of freedom, were they [the freedmen] acting by force or with equal rights as their patrons, that they questioned [/debate] their [patrons'] opinion and made to strike with blows of the hand, even arguing against their own punishment."

The passage just doesn't make sense. Where is the main verb upon which depends the clause "an ... fieret"? maybe "dubitatum est" is implied. What is the function of "impulere" and why is it in the indicative?

Here's my best try: "It was unsure (implied "dubitatum est") whether the emperor would approve the law, being surrounded as he was by a few freedmen opposed to the proposition, while on the other hand other men were grumbling that freedom had nourished the disrespect of their freedmen to the point that it was uncertain whether they would beat their patrons or sue them, whether they would ask their patrons' opinion or spontaneously attack them; they had forced this law upon themselves even while arguing against their punishment."